(The Center Square) – A sexual assault involving school kids in a small central Illinois community has prompted an Illinois lawmaker to take action.
State Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, said he was shocked to find out that the student who committed the sexual assault was allowed to stay in class.
“If a student brings a pair of brass knuckles to class, they are automatically expelled for a year,” said McClure. “But if you sexually assault a student at school, there is no automatic expulsion for a year.”
McClure introduced legislation that would require school districts to expel a student for at least one year for committing a sexual assault or sexual violence. He said many people have reached out to him after he presented the legislation.
“Members of the community, but also members of the General Assembly, and I’m finding that many people are concerned that there are instances taking place where schools are not reporting to the parents what’s happening and in fact they are trying to sweep it under the rug in some cases, which is very troubling,” said McClure.
State Rep. CD Davidsmeyer, R-Jacksonville, said he also has heard of reports of similar incidents around Illinois.
“As a father of a freshman and a 7th grader, I want to make sure this does not happen to anyone else, and that there is proper guidance on what happens should this happen again,” said Davidsmeyer.
Democratic lawmakers in Illinois have a long history of rejecting legislation that is considered a “penalty enhancement.” McClure said he doesn’t classify the bill as a penalty enhancement but a safety enhancement, and it is his hope that the offending student will go to an alternative learning center and get the treatment needed to get them on a better path.
“Right now, because of several laws that have passed in this state, teachers are afraid to punish students or treat them any differently even when they do horrific things, and so, this is a step in the right direction,” said McClure.
